ZAMBIA: Take Care of Mentally Challenged, Zambian Bishop Urges Catholic Women
Christopher Banda
Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Chipata, Zambia Rt. Rev. George Lungu has called on
Catholic women’s league to look after the mentally challenged persons in society.
He noted that the mentally challenged persons are the most neglected in society adding that they need to be loved and cared for.
He said this in his sermon during the golden jubilee celebration of Catholic Women’s League Lay Organization at Mphangwe prayer center in Katete district on Saturday, September 10.
Bishop Lungu said the Church acknowledges the Catholic Women’s League members charity work and hopes further that new members will also remain dedicated to the service of the church.
“Since you have given me more than one thousand new members, I have been thinking of giving you a gift,” Bishop Lungu expressed and disclosed, “I am giving you a jubilee gift and it is a gift of the mentally challenged persons.”
“When you will find such persons on the road remember that this is the gift the bishop gave us. The mentally challenged persons among us are regarded like animals without the spirit of God. Some of these people were among us as servants of God before getting sick, some were in the catholic women’s league organization but because of their situation we chase them,” he added.
Bishop Lungu noted that the gift of taking care of the mentally challenged is a precious one to treasure saying if they (members of catholic women’s league care for the sick people, they are assured of entering the kingdom of heaven.
“The drink you give me from time to time go and give them they will not refuse, the food you give to me go and give them they will be happy. Love the mentally challenged people in the society they want to be loved too,” he added.
Bishop Lungu further said jubilee is the time of celebration and to proclaim the word of God to those in society.
During the Golden Jubilee celebration Bishop Lungu commissioned more than 800 new Catholic Women’s League members who came from different parishes in the Diocese of Chipata.
The Catholic Women’s League Golden Jubilee celebration which was held under the theme “I did not come to be served but to serve” attracted more than 2,000 Catholic league members.
The Organization was introduced in the Diocese of Chipata in 1972 at the time when the late Cardinal Joseph Medado Mazombwe was the Bishop of the Diocese.
